Huguette Clark

Huguette Clark died May 31, 2011 at the age of 104. Ms. Clark inherited a fortune that her father made in the copper mining business. She seemed destined to enjoy a life of high society, but in her 20s she dropped out of public view and became a recluse. She rarely saw visitors, choosing to live with her mother in isolation in a huge apartment overlooking Central Park in New York City. In her 80s, although in good health, Ms. Clark started living in a New York hospital, where she stayed until she died. She leaves a fortune that is estimated at $500 million and no descendants. She once said that wealth is a “menace to happiness”.

Jesus once said something similar—“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37).

Whether we have accumulated millions of dollars or dozens of dollars, we all need to reflect on the truth of Jesus’ words. It is useless to focus on worldly gain if we have to pay a heavenly cost.